Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Coquimbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Coquimbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,288 in Santiago versus $1,072 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,020 in Santiago versus $1,619 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,752 in Santiago versus $2,166 in Coquimbo.

Living in Santiago is roughly 20% more expensive than in Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 4% lower, Coquimbo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 CLP 9,983

$8.47 CLP 7,891

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

$44.95 CLP 41.9K

21.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CLP 7,601

$7.99 CLP 7,444

2.13%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,941

$2.74 CLP 2,554

15.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CLP 1,660

$1.30 CLP 1,209

36.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,162

$1.06 CLP 986

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,086

$3.30 CLP 3,070

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,946

$4.20 CLP 3,912

0.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 CLP 1,101

$1.06 CLP 990

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,429

$1.53 CLP 1,422

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 2,031

$1.86 CLP 1,732

17.20%

Eggs

$4.19 CLP 3,898

$3.50 CLP 3,257

19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 CLP 9,913

$10.65 CLP 9,919

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 CLP 6,135

$6.53 CLP 6,082

0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

$10.77 CLP 10.0K

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,947

$1.88 CLP 1,754

11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.51 CLP 1,402

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,923

$1.58 CLP 1,473

31.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,730

$1.51 CLP 1,403

23.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,820

$1.23 CLP 1,143

58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,514

$1.36 CLP 1,262

19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,194

$1.22 CLP 1,135

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CLP 1,160

$1.16 CLP 1,084

7.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 CLP 5,359

$5.54 CLP 5,160

3.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 CLP 6,051

$5.95 CLP 5,540

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.56 CLP 1,453

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CLP 2,308

$2.20 CLP 2,053

12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 788

$0.63 CLP 585

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 477

$0.47 CLP 435

8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,290

$1.38 CLP 1,285

0.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

-1.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

6.82%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 CLP 124.6K

$134 CLP 124.7K

-0.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

$13.77 CLP 12.8K

-1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

$22.36 CLP 20.8K

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

$38.47 CLP 35.8K

-9.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

$20.89 CLP 19.5K

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,857

$5.65 CLP 5,260

11.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$436 CLP 406.4K

$433 CLP 403.4K

0.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

$50.7 CLP 47.3K

9.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

$30.37 CLP 28.3K

6.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

$61.1 CLP 56.9K

26.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

$82.9 CLP 77.2K

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 CLP 479.3K

$472 CLP 439.2K

9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 CLP 430.1K

$367 CLP 341.9K

25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 CLP 920.7K

$879 CLP 818.2K

12.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 CLP 856.6K

$594 CLP 553.4K

54.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 CLP 747.6K

$644 CLP 599.9K

24.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Santiago and $472 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Santiago vs $45.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $226 per month, with Coquimbo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Santiago vs Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago and Coquimbo differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,288 vs $1,072 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Santiago, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Santiago versus $472 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Santiago versus $433 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $55.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,072 in Coquimbo versus $1,288 in Santiago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.